Tori J. Ross 
U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade together began their first dedicated bilateral training exercise, which took place at Numazu Beach, Japan, and at the Combined Arms Training Center in Fuji, Japan.
The exercise known as the Sea Defense Exercise – Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade began with a staff exercise that preceded the event. This event allowed the 31st MEU and ARDB leadership to conduct detailed planning at the ARDB home station, Camp Ainoura, Japan.
“The 31st MEU and ARDB are two of the best trained and most prepared crisis response forces within the First Island Range,” said 31st MEU Commander Col. Michael Nakonieczny. “The primary purpose of MDX-ARB is to strengthen our long-standing relationship with the ARDB, to deter competitor and adversary aggression, and to underscore that the 31st MEU and ARDB stand ready to respond together to any crisis. , at any time.”
“The 31st MEU and ARDB are two of the best trained and most prepared crisis response forces within the First Island Range.” Colonel Michael Nakonieczny, commander of the 31st MEU
MDX-ARDB enables participants to work as dedicated partners in support of the U.S.-Japan security alliance while demonstrating evolutions such as amphibious landing, combined arms formations, and functional level training to hone capabilities. tactics and key skills.
The exercise features Marines and Sailors from the 31st MEU, including participation from the U.S. Air Force’s 374th Airlift Wing and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 Seabees. Japanese counterparts are provided by the ARDB’s 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment. The ARDB is an amphibious unit of the JGSDF.
“We are committed to our enduring foundation and to building interoperability,” said Colonel Masahi Hiraki, commander of the 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment. “We are here to strengthen our ties. Bilateral trainings like MDX-ARDB conducted between the United States Marine Corps and the ARDB demonstrate the two countries’ dedication to their mutual partnership and dedication to peace and stability in the region.
MDX-ARDB seeks to bolster the defensive capabilities of the U.S.-Japan alliance in support of the defense of key maritime terrain. Combined bilateral activities such as bilateral command and control in a distributed environment allow both countries to learn and grow from each other.
In progress
Photo by Lance Cpl. malik lewis
All U.S. personnel participating in MDX-ARDB are following all USFJ-mandated COVID-19 prevention procedures to maintain the safety and health of local Japanese communities and the combined military force. All US participants are fully vaccinated.
Bilateral training exercises like MDX-ARDB allow the Japan Self-Defense Force and forward-deployed U.S. Marine Corps forces to focus on developing and refining vital bilateral planning, coordination and interoperability.
“We are ready to meet the challenges that we may face together,” said 31st MEU operations officer Lt. Col. Brendan Neagle. “Together we are strong and capable and I look forward to planning future iterations of this exercise.”
MDX-ARDB reinforces that the US Marine Corps and ARDB can operate in non-traditional environments and thrive. Continued bilateral formations like MDX-ARDB show the continued dedication of U.S. and Japanese forces to maintaining international standards and their dedication to defending a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Photos, videos and reports on MDX-ARDB are available on https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/mdxardb
Photos, videos and reports on the 31st MEU are available on https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/31stMEU
